Goosen the raining champ

The cream rose to the top of the leaderboard before a thunderstorm halted play in the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur today.

European number Retief Goosen carded a second-round 64 at the Mines Resort to set the clubhouse target before the heavens opened.

And the man the South African has beaten to the Order of Merit title for the last two years, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, was hot on his heels after his second consecutive 66.

Goosen’s 12-under-par halfway total of 130 gave him a one-shot lead over Korea’s Ted Oh, with Harrington and Thailand’s Thammanoon Srirot a shot further back.

Overnight leader Arjun Atwal had moved one ahead of Goosen with four birdies in his first seven holes but was stopped in his tracks as the stifling humidity sparked off an electrical storm shortly before 2.30pm local time.

Goosen and Harrington were both glad to be safely back in the clubhouse, but Goosen was still disappointed with a 64 that threatened to be so much better.

The world number five started on the 10th and played the back nine in just 27 shots, but failed to birdie the par-five 17th despite having just a four-iron second shot to the green.

The former US Open champion should have made amends with a birdie on the first, but after driving to within 30 yards of the green, hit his second shot into a greenside bunker and failed to get up and down.

Goosen was four under for the three par fives yesterday but made just one birdie today and added: “It turned into quite a disappointing round.

“After playing the first nine holes in 29 I was within 30 yards of the green on the first and thinking about getting to eight under.

“But I was chipping from the rough over a bunker and caught it a bit fat and plugged it in the sand. Making five there and then a par five on the third meant it was the end of a really low round.

“I think I’ll be behind at the end of the day, probably about two shots unless someone shoots another 62, but that’s fine. With two rounds to go it’s just about where I want to be.”

Harrington was also happy with his position on his return from a nine-week lay-off after struggling to reproduce Thursday’s form.

“I’m pleased with the score as I didn’t play anywhere near as well as yesterday,” said the Dubliner. “I wasn’t as good mentally, maybe I had more expectations.

“I didn’t swing it well but to shoot five under on a day like that is very pleasing. I’m very pleased to be in contention in my first tournament back.”

Harrington’s only bogey of the day on the third was a perfect example of what he felt was his poor mental approach.

“Over the ball I’m thinking too much,” he added. “I’m standing over the ball after choosing the club and worrying about hitting it in the rubbish on the right or thinking about my swing as I would on the practice tee.

“On the third I was in the greenside bunker and was going to hit a pitching wedge but changed to my gap wedge and skinned it over the green. That was a mental error.”